Wildlife across the North East
Thanks for stopping by Common By Nature!
Focused on botany and insects, this blog brings together my observations of wildlife across the North East.
As a naturalist, my main interest is biological recording. This means that much of what you’ll see here will focus on finding and identifying wildlife, of all kinds.
This blog has changed a lot since 2011 but from plants to ladybirds, I hope you find something here to interest you!
Recent blog posts on North East wildlife
Observations on nature in Newcastle, Northumberland and beyond.
Weekend Botany at Walker
This weekend provided a nice opportunity for our new local botany group to visit Walker Riverside. Here’s what we encountered. Botany (and wildlife recording in general) can often be aContinue reading “Weekend Botany at Walker”
Ladybirds: A Short Talk and a New Course
With the arrival of winter, now seemed like a good time to look back on a year’s worth of ladybirds and look forward to a new course in 2023. AContinue reading “Ladybirds: A Short Talk and a New Course”
NBN Award for Wildlife Recording
This week, I was both suprised and delighted to recieve the NBN Newcomer Award for Wildlife Recording.
Getting Started with Aphid Identification
Having never tried my hand at aphid identification, this Summer proved quite a steep learning curve with many interesting species seen.
Botanical highlights from Newcastle this week
A quick round up of this week’s outings in Newcastle with visits to multiple urban sites across the city. City Centre A trip into the very heart of Newcastle lastContinue reading “Botanical highlights from Newcastle this week”
Plant of the Week: Blue Fleabane
Entry number four in our Plant of the Week series follows the unexpected discovery of Italian Toadflax growing in my local cemetery.
Recording Ladybirds
Since 2020, I have become increasingly enamored with Britain’s diverse and beautiful ladybirds and for a while now, have been making an effort to record those found across the North East.
A personal challenge, if you will, these pages share my discoveries and observations so far. With a long way to go and many more places to visit, I’ll keep this area updated with ladybird news and discoveries.
Recent posts on ladybirds
Articles and updates on ladybirds and their recording in the North East.
Great sites for ladybirds in the North East
A breif and evolving list of great places to find and record ladybirds in North East England.
Ladybirds along the Tyne – Elswick, Heaton, Havannah & Prudhoe
From the city carparks and cemeteries to chalk mounds at Prudhoe, it has been a fantastic fortnight for local ladybirds.
Spotted Marsh Ladybird, Coccidula scutellata, at Gosforth Nature Reserve
This week, I was delighted to record what appears to be the first Spotted Marsh Ladybird recorded in South Northumberland (VC67). Searching various local wetlands this year for Red MarshContinue reading “Spotted Marsh Ladybird, Coccidula scutellata, at Gosforth Nature Reserve”
A Quick Guide to Black Ladybirds
A short guide to some of the black ladybirds you could encounter while ladybird spotting across the UK
Botany
Of all the branches of natural history, it is botany that interests me the most.
While I am certainly not an expert, despite finding myself in the lucky position of becoming a BSBI County Recorder, here you’ll find observations, articles and musings on plant life in the North East.
From exquisite orchids to urban trees, let’s see what we can discover!
Recent botany blogs
Recording and enjoying plants across Newcastle and Northumberland.
Adventives and Invaders at Walker Riverside
A short round-up of a glorious Saturday morning spent botanising one of my favourite local sites. It is no secret that I am a big fan of the messy, post-industrialContinue reading “Adventives and Invaders at Walker Riverside”
An Urban Flora of Newcastle – Mapping Wild Plants in the City
A short introduction to a personal passion project mapping the diverse and fascinating flora of Newcastle As many of you will know, I have a bit of fondness for Britain’sContinue reading “An Urban Flora of Newcastle – Mapping Wild Plants in the City”
Plant of the week: Italian Toadflax
Entry number four in our Plant of the Week series follows the unexpected discovery of Italian Toadflax growing in my local cemetery.
Wildflowers on the web: great botany blogs and resources
Whether you’re Googling an exciting find or planning your next botanical foray, there are some fantastic botany blogs out there to discover.
The Basics of Wildlife Recording
A quick look at the basics of biological recording, including the key components of a wildlife record.
Sharing Your Wildlife Records
So, you’ve created a wildlife record. Now, where do you send it to maximise its value for conservation?
Comparing Plant ID Apps
Plant identification apps can be confusing, especially at first. However, there are lots out there to help botanists ID their finds.
Recent North East wildlife highlights
Just a few exciting finds and lucky captures from walks across the region
